Power Ranking All 30 MLB Lineups Post-Winter Meetings

With the MLB winter meetings behind us and multiple players switching teams, now is as good a time as any to take a look at how these moves impact starting lineups around the league.

We will look at the abilities and track records of the players we project as starters, factoring in how they produced in 2012 and what the future holds in 2013.

It's an inexact science, and with major league rosters in a continual state of flux, this is sure to be the first of several times that we will look at starting lineups between now and the start of the regular season.

27. Chicago Cubs

Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesAnthony Rizzo will be going deep on a regular basis in 2013.

Projected Lineup

Position

Bats

David DeJesus

CF

L

Nate Schierholtz

RF

L

Anthony Rizzo

1B

L

Alfonso Soriano

LF

R

Starlin Castro

SS

R

Ian Stewart

3B

L

Wellington Castillo

C

R

Darwin Barney

2B

R

The rebuilding in Chicago continues, but the Cubs have two excellent pieces to build around in Starlin Castro, already an established star, and Anthony Rizzo, who will be playing his first full MLB schedule in 2013.

One of five teams in baseball who didn't average four runs per game in 2012, (the Cubs averaged 3.8 runs per game), the Cubs will struggle to put runs on the board once again in 2013 as Castro, Rizzo and Soriano are the only real run producers on the team.

Things are looking up, but the Cubs lineup is still too underwhelming to find much success in 2013.

Oakland enters the 2013 with virtually the same lineup they had in 2012, and while it's not one that jumps off the page and makes you scream "Wow! Look at that lineup!", this group was an effective one.

Effective enough to win the AL West and advance to the playoffs.

Yoenis Cespedes proved that he was worth every dime last season while Brandon Moss and Josh Reddick both had breakout seasons.

But questions abound.

Can that trio repeat their success—or take their games to an even higher level?

What exactly can the A's expect to get from players like Josh Donaldson, Scott Sizemore and Adam Rosales?

The Indians traded former All-Star RF Shin-Shoo Choo to the Cincinnati Reds as part of a three-team deal on that also included the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night, as reported by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman (via Twitter):

While this deal makes sense for the Indians based on the pitching that they received, their lineup takes a hit in the process.

Cleveland slides back two spots.

---End of Update---

Jason Kipnis is one of the bright young stars in the game, while Michael Brantley is one of the most underrated players in the league who, for whatever reason, loves hitting fifth. Check the splits for yourself here.

Cleveland finally addressed their need for a right-handed bat with power by signing Mark Reynolds, but their lineup can still use a bit more balance.

Trade winds are swirling around the Indians however, with Asdrubal Cabrera at the center of the storm.

While the Pirates' catching situation—both at the plate and behind it—was greatly improved with the signing of Russell Martin, Pittsburgh failed to do the one thing that needed to be done.

Find Andrew McCutchen a running mate.

McCutchen led the Pirates in every offensive category in 2012 and chances are that he'll do it again in 2013 as the talent around him essentially remains the same.

His teammates' inability to produce is a major reason why the Pirates averaged only 4.1 runs per game last season, tied with the San Diego Padres for 23rd in all of baseball.

Martin's arrival will certainly help the Pirates to score a bit more, but he's not the dynamic run producer that Pittsburgh needed to pair with McCutchen so that their offense could take the next step forward.

Evan Longoria is the straw that stirs the drink, and he must shake his penchant for injury and stay in the lineup for more than 73 games as he did in 2012.

Over the past two seasons, he has played in only 207 of a possible 324 games,

Wil Myers, the biggest prize in the trade that sent James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City, has the ability to be a big-time run producer. With the batters in front of him all traditionally doing an excellent job of getting on base, Myers could be the driving force that shoots Tampa Bay's lineup up the rankings.

Should he struggle—or should Longoria go down with a major injury again—Tampa will be scrambling trying to figure out a way to get those runs home.

Solid but not spectacular is how I'd describe the Chicago White Sox lineup heading into 2013.

You know what you'll get from the first four spots in the lineup and from Ramirez, but the rest of the lineup has questions surrounding it.

Can Tyler Flowers hit? He's failed to show that he can in parts of four major league seasons, but with A.J. Pierzynski no longer around to pick up the majority of those at-bats, Flowers needs to become a productive member of the offense.

Of greater concern is Alex Rios, who has shown a tendency to alternate great years at the plate with disappointing ones, much like Bret Saberhagen used to do on the mound in the 1990s.

If Rios isn't on his game, it will leave a void behind Konerko that Dayan Viciedo may or may not be ready to fill.

17. Kansas City Royals

Kyle Rivas/Getty ImagesKC needs Eric Hosmer to get back on track in 2013.

Projected Lineup

Position

Bats

Lorenzo Cain

CF

R

Alcides Escobar

SS

R

Alex Gordon

LF

L

Billy Butler

DH

R

Mike Moustakas

3B

L

Salvador Perez

C

R

Eric Hosmer

1B

L

Jeff Francoeur

RF

R

Chris Getz

2B

L

Kansas City hasn't done anything to improve their lineup from 2012 to 2013, and it's unlikely that we'll see any significant changes between now and the start of the season.

But they didn't really need to.

Wil Myers, who would have replaced Jeff Franceour in right field, was shipped to Tampa Bay for much-needed pitching, and Frenchy remains one of two weak spots in the Royals lineup, along with Chris Getz.

The Royals need Eric Hosmer to resemble the batter that finished third in the voting for the 2011 American League Rookie of the Year award, and they need Lorenzo Cain to stay on the field so they have a legitimate leadoff hitter.

Salvador Perez, who missed a chunk of the 2012 season due to a knee injury he suffered in spring training, has the ability to be a difference maker with the bat and will put up big numbers over the course of the season.

This is a talented group of youngsters who, if they play to their abilities, will have the Royals in more games than people expect.

The Dodgers struggled to put runs on the board for much of 2012, one of the many reasons that they went out and traded for Hanley Ramirez in one deal and then pulled off the blockbuster with Boston to land Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, among others.

A full season of Ethier, Kemp, Gonzalez and Ramirez batting back-to-back-to-back-to-back will certainly result in the Dodgers scoring more than 3.9 runs per game, but questions remain about the rest of their lineup.

They lack a true leadoff hitter and Luis Cruz is an unproven commodity at third base.

Adding a bona fide leadoff hitter with speed and the ability to get on base consistently would be a major boost for their run producers—and scoring total.

The heart of Baltimore's lineup—Nick Markakis, Adam Jones and Matt Wieters—will all need to elevate their games in 2013 with the absence of Mark Reynolds' big bat from the lineup.

We finally get to see a full season of Manny Machado, and if he's able to make the necessary adjustments and become a bit more patient at the plate, Buck Showalter won't be able to keep him that low in the lineup for long.

Adding a bat with power to play either first base, shifting Chris Davis to the DH spot or a veteran who is willing to be a full-time DH (Lance Berkman perhaps?) would make the Orioles' lineup more complete than it is right now.

12. Arizona Diamondbacks

Ralph Freso/Getty ImagesAdam Eaton has a chance to be something special.

Projected Lineup

Position

Bats

Adam Eaton

CF

L

Aaron Hill

2B

R

Justin Upton

RF

R

Miguel Montero

C

L

Paul Goldschmidt

1B

R

Jason Kubel

LF

K

Chris Johnson

3B

R

Cliff Pennington

SS

S

UPDATE: Tuesday, December 11 at 9:36 p.m. ET

The Diamondbacks have addressed their shortstop dilemma by acquiring former Cincinnati Reds prospect Didi Gregorius as part of a three-team deal between the D-Backs, Reds and Cleveland Indians, as reported by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman (via Twitter):

Scoring runs has never been a problem for the Rockies considering where they play half of their games, but the fact that they averaged nearly 4.7 runs per game in 2012 despite being without perennial MVP candidate Troy Tulowitzki for the last four months of the season is impressive.

Well,Tulo is back, Wilin Rosario has established himself as a big-time player, Carlos Gonzalez continues to put up MVP-worthy numbers of his own and Dexter Fowler is coming off of his breakout campaign.

When it comes to scoring runs, the Rockies will be one of the more prolific clubs in the league in 2013.

Ichiro was revitalized after being traded to the Yankees this past July, posting a .322/.340/.454 batting line in 67 games for the Bombers. His return allows the Yankees to slide Brett Gardner back to the ninth spot in the lineup, a spot in which he's flourished in the past.

Another solid move by the Yankees, who bump up one spot in the rankings.

---End of Update---

New York started the day at No. 10 on the list, with prospect David Adams penciled into the eighth spot in the lineup at third base in place of the injured Alex Rodriguez.

With their signing of veteran Kevin Youkilis on Tuesday afternoon to fill in for A-Rod and hop into the third base slot, the Bronx Bombers jump up one spot.

One through six, the Yankees lineup is a a solid, experienced bunch that knows how to get on base and create runs.

After that, it's a mix of backups who would all be best served by coming off of the bench.

It would look better—on paper at least—with Alex Rodriguez penciled in, but he simply cannot be counted on in 2013. According to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York, the recovery time from A-Rod's upcoming January hip surgery is four-to-six months,

Even if he returns in the second half of the season, there's as good of a chance that he's a shell of the shell of his former self as there is that he's revitalized by the surgery.

5. Cincinnati Reds

Tyler Barrick/Getty ImagesJoey Votto is healthy and the Reds offense will be standing tall.

Projected Lineup

Position

Bats

Shin-Soo Choo

CF

L

Brandon Phillips

2B

R

Joey Votto

1B

L

Ryan Ludwick

LF

R

Jay Bruce

RF

L

Todd Frazier

3B

R

Ryan Hanigan

C

R

Zack Cozart

SS

R

UPDATE: Tuesday, December 11, 9:25 p.m. ET

Cincinnati picked up the leadoff hitter that they needed in Shin-Soo Choo as part of a three-team deal that involved the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians, as reported by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman (via Twitter):

This is a huge move for the Reds. Not only is Choo a perfect fit at the top of the lineup, but it allows Brandon Phillips to hit behind someone who gets on-base constantly (evidenced by his career .381 mark), meaning that Phillips' run-producing opportunities will increase significantly.

I can't say enough good things about this for the Reds, who now move past the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers on our list.

---End Of Update---

Cincinnati's offensive production took a nosedive in 2012, dropping to 21st in runs scored with 669 after ranking seventh a year earlier with 735.

The difference?

Joey Votto missed nearly two months of the season.

Votto is healthy and the Reds return the same lineup that has taken them to two National League Central titles in the past three years.

It would be nice if they'd acquired a legitimate leadoff hitter so they could take better advantage of Brandon Phillips' ability to drive in runs, but they've had plenty of success with Phillips leading off.

3. Toronto Blue Jays

Tom Szczerbowski/Getty ImagesJose Bautista is going to love hitting in the middle of this lineup.

Projected Lineup

Position

Bats

Jose Reyes

SS

S

Melky Cabrera

LF

S

Jose Bautista

RF

R

Edwin Encarnacion

1B

R

Colby Rasmus

LF

L

Brett Lawrie

3B

R

Adam Lind

DH

L

J.P. Arencibia

C

R

Emilio Bonifacio

2B

S

Toronto has great balance throughout their lineup.

From the table setters at either end of the batting order to the significant run-producing bats in between Reyes and Bonifacio, there's nothing to dislike about what Toronto will be entering the season with.

GM Alex Anthopoulos has given the Blue Jays the pieces that make theirs not only the most dangerous lineup in the American League East, but one of the most dangerous lineups in all of baseball.

This was the best thing that could happen to the Los Angeles Angels and the absolute worst possible scenario for their AL West rivals, the Texas Rangers. Courtesy of ESPN Dallas' official Twitter account:

BREAKING: Josh Hamilton has agreed to join the LA Angels. Story to come: es.pn/e3bpkT